Monterey Mushrooms will introduce a new product line called Let's Blend™, which is finely diced mushrooms ready to blend with ground meat, at the Produce Marketing Association’s 2017 Fresh Summit Convention and Expo, Oct. 20-21 in New Orleans.

Let’s Blend comes in an 8-ounce package and three pre-seasoned flavors: Classic, Mexican and Italian. It’s an easy way for home cooks to achieve the same Blend Concept that is appearing on restaurant menus nationwide, said Lindsey Roberts, company marketing specialist.

The Blend concept was born out of a partnership between the Mushroom Council, UC-Davis researchers and Culinary Institute of America chefs who studied the flavor-enhancing properties of mushrooms, and the appeal of blending mushrooms with ground meat.

A 2014 study by the partners found that a traditional ground meat recipe prepared with 50 percent mushrooms and 50 percent meat can boost flavor (thanks to mushrooms’ umami), reduce fat, calorie and sodium intake, and add nutrients. K-12 school districts, colleges and universities and other non-commercial foodservice operators were the first adopters of the trend to blend.

In the past two years, media coverage of the blended with meat trend has bolstered consumer awareness, with features by The Today Show, Food & Wine, Forbes and more. Now that people are aware of the concept, Let’s Blend will help them achieve the dishes at home they’ve been able to sample on restaurant menus.

“People want to eat better without giving up flavor and texture,” said Lindsey Roberts, company marketing specialist. “Let’s Blend works well with ground beef, chicken, lamb, pork or turkey. It makes meat juicer without adding fat or cholesterol.”

Retailers will appreciate the added value Let’s Blend brings to the refrigerated mushroom set and that it has an extended shelf life. The recyclable packaging has cooking instructions on pack, a visible best-by date and a cut out window to see the product.

In addition to the Let’s Blend line, the company will showcase all the products and packages in its fresh line including: clean-n-ready, vitamin D, certified organic, whole and sliced mushrooms at the Fresh Summit Convention and Expo in booth 1906.

In other convention related activites, Monterey Musrooms is sponsoring the PMA Chairman's Invitational Reception and two employees will be honored at the Produce Business 40 Under 40 reception, Roberts and Erica Manfre, sales manager.